Tablescape dessert table tips & easy ideas

If you are planning a memorable occasion where you need to feature a dessert table, we have tablescape dessert table easy ideas for you to explore.

These creative simple ideas for you will dress-up your desserts with these party dessert table ideas. Follow these easy steps to create a tablescape masterpiece.

Are you looking to decorate a dessert bar, wedding dessert table, birthday, bridal shower or an dessert buffet? If you follow the following steps, it’s not as difficult as you may think.

Dessert tables are an always a grand idea if you’re considering providing your guests an assortment of desserts, custom designed to coordinate with your color palette and theme.

When you take a little extra time to create a dessert table design, it takes the cake! Much more fun and memorable than offering one simple dessert. Let’s explore some tablescape dessert table easy ideas here.

Dessert Dash Display

I was asked to help with a charity auction where they featured a desert dash. I helped decorate the table from scratch, with very little time. This event inspired me to share a few ways to decorate a dessert bar, wedding dessert table, dessert buffets or any other special event.

What Is A Desert Dash?

In a Dessert Dash, is when a collection of sweets is displayed in an enticing fashion . A bid card is placed on every table with the corresponding table number. Each table or group place bids to claim one of the tempting treats on display.

The table with the highest combined bid will have the first chance to dash to the dessert table and select the tantalizing treat of their choice. However, they have to run swiftly because the next highest bidding table will dash right behind them and so on until all the tables have had a chance at the dessert table.

My Easy Dessert Table Set Up

In effort to create a pretty dessert table, we displayed 13 unique desserts on a long canoe table. My goal was to quickly and magically style the long table I had to work with. Each dessert that was donated deserved a show stopping display.

I grabbed boxes and crates and draped them with a tablecloth. Pacing desserts on various levels on a table offers interest and style. This is an easy dessert table set up trick. I added flowers and greenery to the table.

There are so many fun ways to design a dessert display and a few things to keep in mind. It’s similar to any tablescape table designs really

How To Design A Visually Appealing Dessert Table

It may not be as daunting as it may suggest. If you take it one step at a time, it can be an easy DIY project for anyone. The following dessert table tips are easy and fun. Sometimes we just need some inspiration and new ideas to explore.

Step #1 Determine The Theme To Start Your Dessert Table Set Up

What is the occasion for your party? Whether it is a 70’s themed party or a bridal shower, you will want to incorporate the theme of the party into the all aspects of the table. When you know what theme you want to go with, then you can figure out what decor items will add visual interest to give the table that personal touch.

Is there a color scheme?

What’s your color palette for your event? The color scheme will help determine what accessories and table cloth you will use. Pick no more than 5 colors. Keep in mind that you want the desserts to be the focus, not the tablecloth or other decor items

Step #2 Dessert Table Location And Length Of Table

Figure out where the dessert table will be set up. It’s important to consider the height so you know what the eye level will be for the guests. A rectangular table makes for the ideal table shape for a sweet table.

Don’t forget the backdrop behind the table. If the wall behind the dessert table is busy, you may want to drape fabric or add a simple backdrop is a great way to make the decorated table the focus.

Tablecloths used on the dessert table are also part of the backdrop and will set the tone of your tablescape. It’s all in the layering effects that will add drama to the table

Step #3  Keep The Sweet Treat Selection Interesting

Serve a variety of flavors and textures on your dessert table unless, of course, you are specifically doing a “chocolate” party or other flavor-themed party. Offer different sized sweet treats for your guests.

• Consider purchasing several over the top desserts for a special bakery then supplement with other simple desserts like sugar cookies with royal icing, simple chocolate chip cookies and even a dessert spoon.
• For fun flavors and textures, consider Cakes + Parfaits + Baked Bars + Candy jars filled with treats and Something Crunchy.
• Consider small bite sized items such as mini cupcakes and apothecary jars filled with candy for a pop of color and variety of flavors.

Step #4 Serving Quantities- How many deserts to serve

Depending on how many guests you expect, you can assess how many servings of treats you will need. Remember not everyone will eat a dessert, but some might have more than one.

Step #5 Using Levels to add depth to the tablescape

When designing dessert tables, the essential thing is to go for balance and keep the eyes moving down the table. Using levels either under the tablecloth or on top adds interest and dimension. Please don’t set desserts flat on the table- so boring!

Decorating A Desert On A Budget

You don’t have to spend lots of money making your table look fab! For levels  You can can use overturned bowls, paper boxes, plates glued to sturdy glasses from a thrift store if you don’t want the cost of additional serving dishes of the right height.

Using more than one level is effective. Notice how the eye moves from one the table level to the tallest cake on this table of tasty desserts.

How to start designing your tablescape

• You can begin designing from the center and work outward, OR from the two ends and work inward. I tend to focus on the center then work from there.
• Start with the height in the back and from there you can add varying rows and levels to fill in the blank space.
• Please don’t set everything flat on the table! Use bowls turned upside down or boxes to put plates on to add height.

When I decorated this large flat canoe, I used a black tablecloth as the base then used various forms for levels, including boxes, cake stands and other flat objects. I arranged them across the table with lots of variation in height but placed in a balanced manner.

I like to decorate in a symmetrical design . If you dress up the table this way, remember is to keep the vessels, the levels, and the colors uniform on both sides. This usually means your center point is the focal point and should be pretty special.

Add Towers To The Table For Interest

It’s fun to add towers to give height to your table. Cupcake stands, layered cakes (such as a traditional wedding cake) dessert wine bottles, or a styrofoam cone covered with donut holes, cake pops or marshmallows.

Height is essential when you are trying to figure out how to set up a dessert table. This adds interest to the display and allows you to use the tallest placement for your most special desserts.

Step #6 Pick A Focal Point for Your Best Dessert

Choose one really extraordinary dessert to showcase on the party table. If you don’t have a tall dessert, a beautiful display of flowers that ties the colors of the table together will also make a good focal point.

First off, you’ll want to create a backdrop for your buffet table / food station. This will help make it the focal point of your party decorations.

Step #7  Dessert Table Decor

Add interest to the display with decorative features like flowers, seasonal items, and home décor pieces. Use folded cloth napkins to add some interest too.

Mirrored bases, cake plates, floral arrangements, candle sticks, votives, white lights are all interesting and fun table decor items

Bring The Outdoors In

Bringing the outdoors in is an ideal way to decorate your table. A large vase of branches and garden foliage offers a stylish look. I like to mix these vines and flowers with a few decorations scattered across the table. Layer, layer, and add more layers to add texture and interest to the table.

For a more formal approach, lay either one long, or several small, blocks of floral foam and carefully inset small sprigs of all your types of foliage, being careful to create a fairly even surround and building up to the desire height and depth.

Have fun with your table settings. It’s all about your personal taste and being as creative as you wish.

Looking for a quick dessert that is always a hit? See this recipe for Graham Cracker Toffee